Helen Marie Birdsey

Helen Marie Birdsey
Traverse City

At the age of 104, after having lunch with her two sons, Helen passed away on the afternoon of August 9th 2022. She was dearly loved and lives on in the hearts of her family and many friends.
Born to the late Reuben and Nellie Belle (Crocker) Stratton, Helen grew up in Suttons Bay with her three younger siblings Ruby, Bill and Jay and graduated from Suttons Bay High school in 1936. Helen's goal of attending college was thwarted by the depression's impact on her family. As a result, she moved to Traverse City to attend secretarial school where she met Al (Dwight Ellery) Birdsey at Traverse's ice skating rink. They were married in 1940 and enjoyed 64 years together. Their son Jon was born in Traverse City in 1942.
Helen had a sharp intellect, a natural feel for numbers and was fiercely independent, so with Al off to WWII and a child to support, Helen rented a small house on 8th Street and worked as a plant manager and bookkeeper at a local clothing manufacturer. When the war ended and Al returned in 1945, and with two salaries, they were able to buy a small bungalow on Garfield Ave.
In the late 40's Helen and Al moved yearly. First to Kalamazoo then on to South Bend Indiana, where in 1950, their son Tom was born. Finally they settled in Elkhart, Indiana to raise their two sons. In addition to corralling two curious young boys, Helen returned to work as an office manager for Continental Can. When Jon and Tom began careers as architects on the east coast, Helen and Al moved to Indianapolis in the 1970's where she worked as an executive assistant at an insurance company. In the mid-80s, upon Al's retirement, they were finally able to return to Michigan.
Delighted to be back in Traverse City they took up ballroom dancing with a passion – enjoying evenings of dancing with friends, performing at the Senior Center and nursing homes, and competing at regional and national contests. During these years, when not dancing, Helen enjoyed herself gardening, visiting with her children and grandchildren on the East Coast, volunteering at the Senior Center and helping seniors with their taxes.
Al passed in 2004 and a few years later, when she finally stopped driving, Helen moved to Cordia at Grand Traverse Commons. At Cordia, she made several deep friendships, enjoyed walking the grounds, discovered meditation and explored many new interests. At the age of 98, she discovered a talent and love for painting. Landscapes and more landscapes. She called out to her family for photos from their travels and soon her walls were covered with landscapes from across the States, Italy and France. A few years ago Helen's painting became more abstract. Asked why, she shared, "I like to paint what I feel, not what I see".
One week before her death Helen pushed back from her easel announcing, "This is my last painting". Two days prior to her death, she enjoyed breakfast with friends at Cordia and telephone conversations with her grandchildren. Helen passed as she lived – her way.
Helen is survived by her two sons and their wives, Jon and Jo Birdsey of West Newton, Massachusetts and Tom and Karen Birdsey of Delmar, NY; 7 grandchildren, 2 great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.
The family wishes to thank the staff of Cordia for their devoted, patient and loving care of Helen over the past 9 years.
A memorial gathering and showing of her paintings will be held on Saturday October 22nd 2 - 4PM at the Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home. Please come and share your memories of Helen.